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Go Home You Know, Christiane Amanpour Runs a Pretty Good Show

JONATHAN COHN SEPTEMBER 1, 2010

You Know, Christiane Amanpour Runs a Pretty Good Show

BY JONATHAN COHN

As you may recall, ABC's decision to make Christiane Amanpour the host of "This Week" didn't go over so well with a lot of people. Among the criticisms leveled against her: The longtime foreign correspondent lacked a sophisticated grasp of domestic news.

This Sunday's broadcast, among others, convinces me (as I always suspected) that they had no idea what they were talking about. It featured a smart, substantive discussion of education reform--of what's been working and what hasn't, and why. It also featured a debate that was sharp, but civil. In both respects, that's a lot better than what you usually see on the Sunday shows.

Of course, I wouldn't mind a Sunday show that took the rest of the world more seriously. And I rather like the fact that, when Amanpour takes a moment to remember those who died in war--a tradition that, I believe, her predecessor began--she asks viewers to remember the deaths of foreigners, as well.

Some of her critics, I know, think otherwise.

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I can't speak for others. I have no problem paying tribute to foreigners that died in war either. But can she at least be clear that she is not including our enemies in her tributes? Based on interviews I have seen her do in the past, I have my doubts.

- PaulChum63

September 1, 2010 at 6:50pm

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What interviews?

- ironyroad

September 1, 2010 at 7:47pm

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It's very strange. George Stephanopoulos, after a long apprenticeship of softball questions, got to be a pretty good interviewer. Then, his successor, Jake Tapper, after a much shorter learning curve of being too deferential, got to be very effective at asking penetrating follow-up questions. Just as I was getting to appreciate Jake with his nice subtle sense of humor, ABC sidelines him and replaces him with Amanpour. Will I have the patience to put up with her grating voice while she learns what George and Jake had become quite skilled at? No sé (I don't know).

- JackR

September 2, 2010 at 5:27pm

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